Plantsperson’s favourites

Stachyurus is the only genus in its family, Stachyuraceae, and is made up of just ten species. All are unusual, elegant shrubs from East Asia, but only three species are suitable for temperate gardens, and of those this is probably the most attractive and vigorous. Praecox, a Latin term meaning early, refers to its flowering season, which in a mild year starts in February. Long racemes of soft-yellow flowers make a translucent haze, which is most effective if you can plant several shrubs close together in a drift. Its autumn colour is also good. AGM*.

Height and spread 3.5m x 2.5m. Origin Japan. Conditions Versatile in most situations on an acid to neutral soil; seems happiest in sheltered light woodland. Hardiness RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b† . Season of interest February – April.

CHARLIE HOPKINSON

Tom Coward is head gardener at Gravetye Manor in East Sussex gravetyemanor.co.uk

WORDS TOM COWARD PHOTOGRAPHS JASON INGRAM

*Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. † Hardiness ratings given where available.

One of the most delicate and lovely shrubs, with a long flowering season throughout spring. Its early, tissue-thin, primrose-yellow flowers are remarkably resilient to harsh weather, but it performs best in a sheltered spot, with light shade, where it has protection from strong winds. A beautiful shrub in a woodland setting or sheltered aspect close to the house, provided you are blessed with acid soil. A very good cultivar, with deep bronze-red new growth and slightly larger flowers than the straight species. Likes a regular mulch with leaf mould. AGM.

Height and spread 3m x 2.5m. Origin China. Conditions Works best in light woodland on humus-rich acidic soils. Hardiness RHS H4, USDA 7a-9b. Season of interest February – April.

This beautiful evergreen shrub has a year-round presence with a scruffy yet elegant nature. At Gravetye it grows next to the croquet lawn, creating a lovely contrast between the wild and formal gardens. In March and April, it is covered with bell-shaped, fragrant, heather flowers that are pure white with tiny purple anthers, and are a welcome source of early nectar for the bees. After flowering, the seedheads turn a beautiful ginger colour, and in August it puts on a burst of new growth, adding a flush of fresh green to the hot, tired garden.

Height and spread 4.5m x 4.5m. Origin Southern Europe, southwest Asia, northern and eastern Africa. Conditions Prefers acid soils, will cope in neutral pH, but not alkaline; full sun. Hardiness RHS H4, USDA 7a-9b. Season of interest Year round.

Tulipa turkestanica is one of the earliest tulips to flower and is always such a joy to see at the very beginning of spring. Like many of the species tulips, this is a really good perennial, coming back year after year, and spreading over time. We have had it established in some borders for nearly ten years, where the colonies with better drainage appear to have prospered the most. The cream, star-shaped flower has a yellow base, which on closer inspection is flushed with reddish green. It also has a wonderful scent. AGM.

Height and spread 30cm x 30cm. Origin Central Asia to northwest China. Conditions Rock garden or free-draining border; full sun. Hardiness RHS H5, USDA 3a-9b. Season of interest February – April.

Leaving a gift in your Will to Cancer Research UK can help fund research, such as a simple diagnostic test that can help pick up a pre-cancerous condition, and so help Cancer Research UK bring forward the day when all cancers are cured

any of us will find our lives are

Mtouched by cancer in some way. It’s estimated that one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime,1 but thanks to advances in both treatments and diagnosis, many more of us will survive cancer or know someone who has. Cancer survival has doubled in the UK in the past 40 years, and at the heart of this progress have been people pledging a gift to Cancer Research UK in their Will.

Among the many projects that Cancer Research UK has supported is the development of a simple diagnostic test for a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett’s oesophagus. Barrett’s aects around one in every 100 to 200 people in the UK, and for a small number of Barrett’s suerers, it can eventually develop into a type of oesophageal cancer called oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Those who do go on to develop cancer often find they have few symptoms until the cancer is quite advanced, meaning that only around 12 per cent of those diagnosed survive for ten years or more.

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It’s a test that takes just ten minutes in a GP’s surgery and has the potential to save many lives, but its development was only possible thanks to the generous support Cancer Research UK receives from the public.

Pledging a gift Currently, a third of Cancer Research UK’s funds come from gifts in Wills. These funds help to support vital research into the prevention and treatment of cancer through the work of more than 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses. So, by pledging to leave a gift in your Will, you will be helping to beat cancer for future generations.

Today, two in four people survive their cancer for at least ten years, but the ambition of Cancer Research UK is to accelerate this progress so that by 2034, three in four people will survive their cancer, and eventually to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

If you’d like to find out more about how to leave a gift in your Will, visit cruk.org/pledge to order a copy of Cancer Research UK’s Gifts in Wills Guide. This free guide explains how to access their Free Will Service and the dierent types of gifts you can pledge to leave in your Will, as well as tips on how to write or amend your Will. Together we will beat cancer.

†Ahmad AS et al. British Journal of Cancer, 2015

This stunning little iris is a member of the group known as the Junos, which are characterised by their fleshy bulbs and leek-like foliage. There are some 60 species in this group, which come from mountainous regions in the Middle East and Central Asia. Most are very beautiful and quite tricky to grow, but this species is probably the easiest of the group and will establish and spread very happily, providing it has enough sun and drainage. We have an especially lovely clump, growing on the edge of a dry-stone wall, which combines beautifully with blue grape hyacinths. AGM.

Height and spread 30cm x 30cm. Origin Tajikistan, northeast Afghanistan, Uzbekistan. Conditions Free-draining soil; full sun. Hardiness RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b Season of interest March – April.

Bulbs of this plant were first established in the Gravetye meadows by William Robinson in the 1880s, and over the years have spread to make carpets of sky blue. These work beautifully in combination with lemon-yellow daffodils, and are a delight among shrubs and borders. This blue carpet is a perfect prelude to the bluebells, which flower shortly after, continuing this display. Bulbs can be planted in autumn, but can also be spread around the garden by dividing clumps after flowering. AGM.

Height and spread 10cm x 10cm. Origin Europe, western Russia. Conditions Very versatile, grows well in most soils so long as not waterlogged. Excellent in meadows. Hardiness RHS H6, USDA 2a-9b. Season of interest March – April.

A large, robust and vigorous form of this lovely native plant, selected here at Gravetye by William Robinson. It has a long flowering season, and will accept most conditions, though it thrives best in a damp situation. It is useful in the spring border, working well among shrubs, and is an excellent plant to naturalise in a damp meadow. We have a particularly lovely colony, which combines perfectly under ornamental cherries. Bulbs can be planted in autumn and clumps can be divided in the garden after flowering. AGM.

Height and spread 90cm x 40cm. Origin Garden (species most of Europe, Turkey, and parts of Iran). Conditions Very versatile, happiest in damp, heavy soil; full sun. Hardiness RHS H7, USDA 4a-9b. Season of interest February – May.

Tom’s recommendations for places to see seasonal plants at their best

Be sure to check opening times. Some garden visits may need to be pre-booked The beautiful garden at Borde Hill has been owned by the Clarke family since 1893. In the early 20th century, the Clarkes were enthusiastic sponsors of many great plant collectors. Ernest Wilson, Frank Kingdon-Ward, George Forrest, Joseph Rock and Reginald Farrer all received their support. The only condition the family asked was that they could receive specimens of the new introductions. As a result, the garden has one of the best collections of trees and shrubs in the country, boasting more than 80 champion trees, the highest concentration in the UK. Although this is a historic garden, it is full of life and progression, with many new tree plantings and continued developments through the generations. Set within the wooded, rolling countryside, this garden is both beautiful and fascinating at any time of year, but March is a particularly good time to see the champion Magnolia campbellii in full flower. Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1XP. Tel 01444 450326, bordehill.co.uk

West Dean is far more than just a kitchen garden. With its borders, arboretum and beautiful architecture it is a truly magical garden in all regards. But the kitchen garden really is one of its stand-out features, and in early spring it is always good to visit a first-rate, productive garden to get inspiration for the year ahead. It has a magnificent range of Victorian greenhouses, and the meticulous planning

A relatively new introduction from the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium, and probably a hybrid of P. sargentii. Its large, cup-shaped flowers are a beautiful soft pink, which is a perfect colour with the blue sky as a backdrop. Its autumn colour is the most wonderful red and orange. Possibly one of the best pink ornamental cherries to grow. Reaching only around three to four metres and with such stunning spring and autumn displays, it is the perfect tree for the small garden. It will perform best in full sun but will tolerate light shade.

Height and spread 4m x 3m. Origin Garden (species northern Japan, Korea and Sakhalin, Russia). Conditions Happy on most soil types; full sun or light shade. Hardiness RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b. Season of interest March – April.

This is an especially beautiful and unusual blue form of our native wood anemone. It was first found in the wild by William Robinson on a trip to Oxfordshire in the 1860s, and quickly introduced to cultivation. When he moved to Gravetye in the 1880s, he established it throughout the estate, and it still continues to thrive. It seems to flower a little later than our normal white form. Best propagated by dividing the rhizomes in spring after the foliage has died down. AGM.

Height and spread 10cm x 30cm. Origin Oxfordshire. Conditions Tolerant of most soils, will establish well in meadows, woodland and in borders; part shade. Hardiness RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b. Season of interest March – April.

A hybrid from R. caucasicum. This dramatic, early rhododendron has deep-pink buds that open to the palest pink, and starts flowering in February – January in a mild year (though never in time for Christmas) – but is at its best in March to April. These old hybrids were popular in the 19th century, when many great gardens were being created. Its name refers to the old practice of forcing the plant under glass to be brought in to the house for Christmas decoration. AGM.

Height and spread 1.5m x 1.8m (after ten years). Origin Garden (species northern Turkey, Caucasus.). Conditions Best on soils with pH of 6.5 or lower; part shade. Hardiness RHS H5, USDA 5a-8b. Season of interest February – April.

and standards of growing are something to which every gardener should aspire. West Dean, nr Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0RX. Tel 01243 818318, westdean.org.uk

Caerhays Castle Garden is another garden whose collection was built on the sponsorship of some of the great plant collectors, particularly Ernest Wilson and George Forrest. It was one of the first places to cultivate their precious new imports, and today these magnificent specimens are just reaching maturity. Subsequent generations have worked on breeding and hybridising at Caerhays, resulting in the most incredible collections of woody plants, including one of the National Collections of Magnolia. Nestled in a valley on the south Cornwall coast, which is protected from westerly Atlantic gales, bathed in sea mists and warmed by the Gulf Stream, the garden has the perfect microclimate for rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias and many other Chinese natives. As you meander through the gardens, marvelling at these magical plants, you can easily imagine yourself halfway up a mountain in Yunnan, 100 years ago. Gorran Churchtown, Saint Austell, Cornwall PL26 6LY. Tel 01872 501310, visit.caerhays.co.uk

Burncoose Nursery is owned by the Caerhays estate, although it is sited about an hour’s drive from Caerhays Castle. It offers a wide range of plants and is one of the best woody plant nurseries in the country. Most of its trade is now online, but there is nothing like visiting the nursery and picking plants yourself. The nursery also has a charming 30-acre garden packed with beautiful trees and shrubs, and is especially lovely at daffodil time. Gwennap, Redruth, Cornwall TR16 6BJ. Tel 01209 860316, burncoose.co.uk

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